8th Day: Church of Fools Resurgam - Church of Fools in the Covid Pandemic: how to join us

EutychusEutychus Shipmate
edited January 2022 in Limbo
As @Simon has announced in the Styx, we're revisiting the Church of Fools concept in what we hope will be a distinctively Ship manner.

Times have changed since 2004, not least in terms of online user experience and software. We'll be posting details of how to attend Church of Fools services here, along with technical advice. You should ask any CoF-related technical questions here, rather than in the Styx.

Please also feel free to add other threads relating to CoF in any way to this board.

Eutychus
SoF admin
«13

Comments

  • Alan Cresswell Alan Cresswell Admin, 8th Day Host
    A couple of additional comments:

    1. You do not need to have your camera enabled to join us.
    2. For most of each service we will mute all microphones except those for people making a contribution at that point. We don't want everyone to hear when your cat coughs up a hairball during the sermon.
    3. Within Zoom, if you hover over your image you'll see a set of three dots at the top right, that gives access to some preferences including one to change the name used - you may prefer to be present under your Ship screen name so that people know who you are.
    4. We will be using the text chat features, especially for the "after service coffee" chat. More extensive discussions of the sermon can continue here on the 8th Day forum.
  • BoogieBoogie Heaven Host
    It may be an idea to have a test run. As IT advisor for my friends and family I’ve found that a lot of people (even those who think they are IT savvy) can struggle if they are so used to one type of software and haven’t used Zoom before - even ‘tho it is very intuitive.

    Plus some people are not very teachable and need to slow down and listen! :lol:
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    Our first service will be pretty much that.
  • edited April 2020
    Zoom works quite well. You can join a meeting from a computer web browser without downloading any program, I've seen Firefox and Chrome, from Windows10, Mac, Linux. I've not seen it from an iPhone but have from Android. You may be asked by your browser to install an add-on extension. Bandwidth can be a problem. If using wifi, I'd suggest one device per connection if at home unless you've blazing fast internet.

    Re test run, I'd suggest turning on the Zoom link maybe 20 mins ahead of time. Perhaps with a soundtrack.
  • I've made the suggestion to the rest of the group -- and I have several choral tracks that we could use.
  • TukaiTukai Shipmate
    I have heard (through the
    Guardian) that the ZOOM software has been something of an open door for malware. Any ideas how we can protect ourselves from that?
  • DoublethinkDoublethink Admin, 8th Day Host
    edited April 2020
    You might want to consider Wire Pro as an alternative, it’s a bit more secure - if the security issues with Zoom are a worry.

    (The personal version is free, enterprise version is about £8 monthly - there is a possibility of discount for non-profit organisations.)
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    Thanks for raising those concerns, @Tukai

    Church of Fools 2 is presented as a quick, temporary, and easily-accessible response to a crisis situation rather than as a fully tested and 100% secure solution. We've deemed Zoom to be an acceptable compromise in order to provide that kind of response, and taken what steps we can to make it safe.

    Our first layer of security is to have made access to Church of Fools 2 available only via the 8th Day Forum, which has been made visible only to Shipmates. This should protect against gatecrashers.

    As previously mentioned, you should also be able to choose to use your Ship name rather than your real name when you join the meeting, to preserve your anonymity as you would on the rest of the Ship.

    We'll also be implementing other in-meeting controls designed to prevent disruption.

    Apart from that, the content of our meetings is not likely to be of interest to anyone else, and in our estimation, the other privacy risks to participants are not significantly greater than those routinely taken by users of regular social media.

    This is an Eighth Day project: as such, it's learning curve for all of us, and we'll be reviewing things as we go along.
  • wordiewordie Shipmate Posts: 6
    Eutychus wrote: »

    We'll also be implementing other in-meeting controls designed to prevent disruption.

    Those who were in the original CoF will interpret that as a reference to the Wardens having a "SMITE" button. And be greatly reassured cough cough.
  • Cover your mouth when you cough, dear Shippie.
  • balaambalaam Shipmate
    The free version of Zoom does work for iPhone, some of our church life group were using them. We were restricted to 40 minutes because none of us was on the paid version. As far as I know one of our group has been unable to infect the rest of us over the interwebs.

    The security issues with Zoom, as far as I can see, is all down to the entry code being published on the open web. Our group distributed via Whats App*, Are we publishing in a private place?

    ---

    *The lack of apostrophe gets me every time. GRR.
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    edited April 2020
    The entry code will be on this forum (the 8th Day), which is visible only to Shipmates.

    Please take care to adjust your screen name to your Ship name immediately on entering the meeting if you're an existing Zoom user. You can do this using the three dots on the top right of the screen.
  • And here is the "Service Bulletin" that you can print out beforehand if you wish:

    Greeting: Revelation 21:3 (BroJames)

    Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

    Informal welcome from host (Simon)

    OT Reading: Lamentations 1:1-2,6,16, 2:11, 3:21-27, 31-33 (Eutychus and Alan Cresswell)

    [Eutychus]
    How deserted lies the city, once so full of people!
    How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations!
    She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave.
    Bitterly she weeps at night, tears are on her cheeks.
    Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her.
    All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies.
    All the splendor has departed from Daughter Zion.
    Her princes are like deer that find no pasture;
    in weakness they have fled before the pursuer.
    This is why I weep and my eyes overflow with tears.
    No one is near to comfort me, no one to restore my spirit.
    My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed.
    My eyes fail from weeping, I am in torment within;
    my heart is poured out on the ground because my people are destroyed,
    because children and infants faint in the streets of the city.

    [Alan Cresswell] Yet this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
    Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
    They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
    I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”
    The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
    it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
    It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.
    For no one is cast off by the Lord forever.
    Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.
    For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.

    NT Reading: John 12:12-16 (Rossweisse)

    The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the king of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: "Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

    Sermon: (5 minutes) (Rossweisse)

    Prayer: The Lord's Prayer (in whatever version and language each participant chooses) (Miss Amanda)

    Dismissal: Psalm 67:1 (BroJames)


    May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us. Amen.

    Coffee Hour: Invitation to stay on and chat (Simon)
  • Robert ArminRobert Armin Shipmate, Glory
    Has the entry code been posted yet?
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    No: notice there's two hours to go yet as of the time of posting...
  • Robert ArminRobert Armin Shipmate, Glory
    So the code will appear just before the service begins? Apologies, I get confused by technology.
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    It should be along soon.
  • SimonSimon Editor
    edited January 2022
    Here's the link to the service, which starts at 2030 UTC (aka Greenwich Mean Time, i.e. 2130 British Summer Time):

    [zoom link removed]
  • Note that if you join the meeting early, you'll be a virtual waiting room. (I'm an existing user of Zoom).

    Re security: we dealt with this issue at my office yesterday. The issue is people who have identified the meeting ID number having access to audio and screen sharing "Zoom bombing" meetings. This is unlikely to be a problem for us as the congregation won't be doing audio or screen stuff.

    In terms of malware invading from your browser or app, our office IT consultant hasn't suggested any risks. I make no guarantees about anything however.
  • I'm trying to join but get a message "The host has another meeting in progress."
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    You seem to be in now, Miss Amanda!
  • TukaiTukai Shipmate
    I have the picture (Rossweise talking) but no sound on my Android tablet.
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    Sorry about that. We're all still learning!
  • TukaiTukai Shipmate
    This was my first time on Zoom, so I eventually found teh right button to click to get teh audio.
    About the Antipodes: that's where I am. In my time zone this week (still on "daylight saving") service started at 0730 on Saturday. I'm an early riser, but my wife is not, so she's not on to this.
    Worse, next week cival time here comes off daylight saving, so next week we will be on GMT+10, so a service starting at 2030 GMT would start here at 0630, which is pre-dawn. I don't think even I would make that! New Zealand is 2 hours ahead of us, so GMT+12, which is not so bad.
  • BoogieBoogie Heaven Host
    That was good. Great to see all your faces too!

    Many thanks to Simon and all who contributed 👏🏼
  • edited April 2020
    You all look so young! Thanks very much for hosting Simon. Thanks everyone.
  • Thank you all - we have a text-based virtual service so miss the connection that existed tonight.
  • BoogieBoogie Heaven Host
    You all look so young!

    :lol: :lol:

  • SimonSimon Editor
    Thanks, everyone, for being there tonight. Great to see you all. And a big thank you to @Amanda B Reckondwyth, @Rossweisse, and our readers.
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    It was great to put some faces to familiar names!
  • Well, I was on for a little while, but then had to leave because of sudden (but not emergency) family needs. I was glad for and appreciate what I part I was “there” for, especially to see faces and hear voices. Thanks!
  • finelinefineline Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Thank you to those who organised it. It was nice to see people's faces. I think next time I need to use my laptop, not my ipad, because whenever I went to click anything, there was a huge close-up of my thumb photobombing my face!
  • RossweisseRossweisse Hell Host, 8th Day Host, Glory
    Simon wrote: »
    Thanks, everyone, for being there tonight. Great to see you all. And a big thank you to @Amanda B Reckondwyth, @Rossweisse, and our readers.
    Thank you, Simon, and thank you for hosting. I worried a little about preaching to this particular choir, but I think it worked out.

    Wouldn't you just know it - now the Feline Ministry to the Sick shows up!


  • Barnabas62Barnabas62 Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Much appreciated and thanks to all. Yes, I'm in favour of continuing and will post tomorrow some worked out thoughts re intercessions and use of the group chat facility.
  • DaffodilDaffodil Shipmate Posts: 10
    Thank you all
    fineline wrote: »
    I think next time I need to use my laptop, not my ipad, because whenever I went to click anything, there was a huge close-up of my thumb photobombing my face!
    Not an alien invasion then ;)

  • Is it recorded so those who missed it live can see it? Sorry if that's a stupid question...
  • finelinefineline Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Daffodil wrote: »
    Thank you all
    fineline wrote: »
    I think next time I need to use my laptop, not my ipad, because whenever I went to click anything, there was a huge close-up of my thumb photobombing my face!
    Not an alien invasion then ;)

    Ha, guess it must have looked like that, especially when I turned off the camera - my face and my big thumb kept distracting me! :lol:

    Good to see you, Daffodil. :smile:
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    edited April 2020
    You all look so young!

    We'll explain the "rejuvenate" feature on Zoom more clearly next time...
  • SimonSimon Editor
    It was recorded, yes.
  • O good.

    I was about to check in (late!) when the Magic Interweb connection decided to go v e r y s l o w or something, and all I got was that hateful phrase 'This page cannot be displayed'... :angry:

    I blame Trump. Or Satan.
  • ButterflygirlButterflygirl Shipmate Posts: 4
    I am getting used to zoom- rethink hair and outfit next time-week 4 lock down for me- another 12 to go so far! would some kind of communion be a possibility?
  • Alan Cresswell Alan Cresswell Admin, 8th Day Host
    I blame Trump. Or Satan.
    Any difference?
  • I blame Trump. Or Satan.
    You say potato, I say potahto.

  • Heh. I had a Zoom happy hour meeting immediately afterward, and Zoom did NOT put my name back to normal--leading to half my office saying in unison, "Why are you calling yourself Lamb Chopped?"
  • Barnabas62Barnabas62 Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    would some kind of communion be a possibility?

    I've seen it done at an online service- there is a celebrant who consecrates what is with him physically. It's a moot point whether that prayer could be extended to bread and wine in the joined locations. And of course for folks who take a memorialist view it's not an issue, Not a point that bothers me personally but it might bother some Shipmates.

  • Barnabas62Barnabas62 Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    Eutychus wrote: »
    You all look so young!

    We'll explain the "rejuvenate" feature on Zoom more clearly next time...

    Very kind. The photo of me in the Ship's records is about 16 years old ......
  • edited April 2020
    I was at a Zoom staff meeting later on. One of the people had themselves as a "red shirt" on the bridge of the star ship Enterprise from Star Trek. Very virtually perfect. Which makes me think the online clergy leadership could be fully and wonderfully virtually vested.

    Would it be sinful if in a subsequent service we ALL played clergy dress up?! Must find out how this is done.
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    Heh. I had a Zoom happy hour meeting immediately afterward, and Zoom did NOT put my name back to normal--leading to half my office saying in unison, "Why are you calling yourself Lamb Chopped?"
    I think one way around this is to use Zoom as a guest rather than as a logged-in user. Another is to change your name immediately before you leave the meeting and tick the box asking it to remember your name change. If you are logged in as a user there doesn't seem to be any way to change your name before you're actually in.

  • finelinefineline Shipmate, Host Emeritus
    I changed my name before I entered the room. I clicked on my profile and changed my display name. It wants a surname too, but I just clicked the space key, and that sufficed.
  • EutychusEutychus Shipmate
    I think it might depend what kind of device you sign in on as well as whether you have an existing Zoom account.
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